Joy

Welcome to my little 'home' here on MySpace.

My name is Joy Marino .

I am a Christian, a wife, a mom of 5 and the Creator of

If you don't know who I am, you can learn more about me on my personal website at: JoyMarino.com

I don't know exactly how you came to find me, but I don't believe in coincidences or 'accidents'. I believe that we all are attracted to the people in our lives that we want to have surround us, on a regular basis.

Let me share with you a little about my intent when I created this MySpace page and then share a bit more about me.

My intent, in ALL things that I have ever done, is to help others. This page has been created with the hopes that I can empower, inspire and share with you the very things that you need to be successful.

Most of us want to live a happy, abundant, blessed life. Unfortunately, most of also allow 'life' to rob of us our peace...our joy... our happiness. Sometimes a complete stranger can come along and bring 'light' in to our lives to renew our hopes, dreams and faith.

What you have to know in the very core of your being is that YOU have the light within you. YOU have the talents, gifts and abilities that will open the doors to your happy, abundant, blessed life. We were all created with a specific design to fulfill a specific destiny. To do anything otherwise, leaves us empty and unfulfilled. But, once we open up to the light within ourselves, we start to feel peace and see the vision of our purpose more clearly.

Does it happen overnight? NO

Does it happen easily? PROBABLY NOT.

Is it possible? ABSOLUTELY.

Is it probable? That's up TO YOU.

Now, I don't want to get too spiritual or philosophical on you. I am a mom of 5 and occasionally get on a tangent of trials I have endured and lessons I have learned. Please understand I am not lecturing or belittling anyone. These are reminders, to myself, as well.

SO WHO AM I?

I started off as a good student with all A's and B's as a child. As I got older, and started High School, my need to be 'liked' and feel as if I 'belonged' outweighed my desire to get good grades and go off to college. I've always been the 'people pleaser' type, teetering on the edge of being that class "brown-nose". I know, I know.. "UGH" you are probably thinking. One thing I did learn was that not everybody likes a 'know-it-all' and as an adult, I have REALLY learned that you just CANNOT please ALL of the people all of the time. It's just not physically possible. And, to be frank, it's exhausting to even try!

I am 34 years old and still catch myself 'in the act' of worrying about OPO... other people's opinions... it is a really tough habit to break. Although, I never cared much about wearing the best clothes or having the latest hair-do, in that respect, I just wanted to be comfortable (that has NOT changed a bit). But, I always felt the need to be accepted, to be liked and to feel as if the things I did, made a difference to others.

As an adult, a wife and a mother of 5, I am starting to really appreciate the gifts, talents and abilities I was designed with. Don't get me wrong, I am NO expert. In fact, because of my very nature, I am more of a 'reporter' than a 'guru'. I look for ways to help others, who are like me, and then report to them things I have learned, resources that have helped me, etc.

See, one thing we ALL have to learn and accept is this:

we are who we are.

The very things that have developed us in to our present persona, are the very things that will carry us through this life. Now, you may think I am contradicting myself here, but think about this:

The values you have, the strengths you carry with you, the talents you easily bring forth... these are the core of who you are. All that other stuff that has been around was just manifesting itself because you allowed it to. You believed when others said you couldn't do it. You drank in the negativity, when others said you weren't pretty, smart, or skinny (enough). Under all of that "cr*p" was STILL everything you have ever needed to be happy.

Even a 'people pleaser' like me...I made mistakes in my life...true. But I have learned from them, and can still reflect back and see what the lesson was (hindsight is 20/20 you know). And when push comes to shove, deep within me are STILL the values, strengths and talents, that have always been there. No matter what happens on the "outside", I am still the same person on the inside.

And so are YOU .